Shadow
by shy333
Summary: The Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes, is found after the events in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. When Steve questions Bucky about his time with Hydra, he learns of another assassin. Her name is Shadow.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A month after S.H.I.E.L.D. dissolved and the helicarriers went down, Steve finally found Bucky Barnes. Captain Rogers had enlisted his now closest friends Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanoff in the search for his long lost friend. The Winter Soldier was AWOL , trying to survive in modern New York after fifty plus years of HYDRA brainwashing and cryosleep. Steve's search team figured Bucky would be found in the city's less mainstream areas: possibly in abandoned underground subway stations, dense areas of central park,under bridges or old train lines.

After countless scouting trips, the team's hypothesis was found to be true when Natasha located Bucky under an old concrete bridge crossing a creek in Central Park. The shine from his metallic arm is what gave him away. Besides that, The Winter Soldier was barely visible due to the brush and greenery that surrounded the bridge, plus the fact that the bridge was located in a little immediately contacted Steve and Sam on her earpiece. "Hey Cap, I found your friend. He looks pretty rough." She proceeded to give them her coordinates.

Steve and Sam radioed her back, saying they'd be there in a few. In the mean time, she would try to find out exactly what they'd be dealing with. She crept closer to the soldier and got out binoculars. She didn't want to get too close, she didn't know how he'd react. The Winter Soldier was sleeping, wrapped in a couple ratty blankets that he probably stole off some homeless people. There were paper fast food bags strewn around that looked like he dug them out of a trashcan. His prosthetic arm looked a bit rusty. Nat guessed living under a bridge where water was constantly dripping and right next to a stream were probably not he best environment for Bucky's metal prosthetic arm.

"Natasha. We're approaching you right now." Steve said through the earpiece.

"Keep it down. Your friend's looking a lot like sleeping beauty right now."

Steve came up behind Natasha and looked at what remained of his best friend. "Pass me the binoculars, will you?'" he whispered.

Natasha nodded and handed them over. Steve looked closer at Bucky's living conditions. He was so angry, angry at Hydra, angry at everything that made his friend this way.

"Okay, guys. I'm going to go down there and try to talk to him. Sam , go around to the other side of the bridge and watch for me in case I need backup. Nat, stay here and do the same. Do not go in unless I give a signal. I don't know how he'll react to me, let alone you guys."

Sam and Nat agree. Sam leaves to go to his post and Steve starts to walk toward the bridge. Natasha stops him with a hand on his shoulder. She holds out a syringe loaded with a thick purple liquid. "Hey. I know you don't want it to go down like this, but in case it does you need to be prepared. This is just a strong sedative: he'll be out in a few seconds after you use it. If he's not willing to listen, or if he flips out on you, inject it. If you don't, I have a gun and I will use it. Captain America is more valuable to the preservation of S.H.I.E.L.D. than an ex-Hydra assassin."

"I understand." Steve said, then carefully made his way down the steep hill that lead to the bridge. He took a deep breath and stepped a bit closer. "Bucky" he whisper-yelled. Steve thought giving his friend a little warning would be a better strategy than sneaking up on him. He took another few steps forward. Rogers was now only a couple feet from the sleeping assassin. "Buck. I know you're in there. I just wanna talk."

At the sound of Steve's voice, The Winter Soldier shot up from under his covers, a dagger in hand. He took a defensive stance, preparing to face off any attacker.

"Whoa, Bucky. It's fine, everything's fine." Steve said with his hands out, showing he wasn't armed. He didn't even have his shield.

"Steve?" Bucky questioned. "You've been looking for me?"

"Yeah, of course. I was worried."

"_You_ were worried?" Bucky laughed in disbelief. "I shot you, multiple time. I was sent to kill you."

"That wasn't you. That was Hydra, The Winter Soldier. This is Bucky Barnes, my best friend." Steve explained motioning toward the man in front of him.

Bucky didn't believe him. He knew he was guilty of everything he'd done, but now wasn't the time to argue about that. "So what are you wanting? Why are you here?"

"I want you to come back with me. You can live with me. I know people that can help you. I even know a guy that can fix up your arm, probably even make it better."

"I don't think I can do that. I don't deserve it. And S.H.I.E.L.D. will lock me away." Bucky explained, sounding as defeated as he looked.

"No they won't. I'll explain everything, it will all work out. I promise. Please just come with me."

Bucky looks down at the ground, and his hair flops down in his face. "I...I guess I'll come with you. Beats this dump anyways." Bucky says smiling, sounding like his old self, as he pushes his hair out of his face and looks back up. Steve sees the smile for a split second, but then a blank, hard look comes across Bucky's face.

"You brought S.H.I.E.L.D!" he yells and launches himself at Steve. He tries to stab Steve with his dagger, but the super-soldier ducks out of the way.

_He must have seen Natasha._ Steve thinks to himself. "They're allies, Buck!" Steve yells while wrestling with the assassin, still trying to reason. He realizes that no amount of talking is going to stop his friend now and pulls out the tranquilizer. Just as he jabs the syringe into Bucky's thigh, Natasha and Sam both sprint from their respective positions to the scene.

"Cap! Are you alright?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Steve sighs. Bucky is completely out, lying on the ground.

"I know how it feels to be on the run. This is probably the best sleep he's had in a while." Natasha comments.

Steve stands up and,with a little bit of effort, gently tosses Bucky over his shoulder. "Let's get him back to the tower."

* * *

At Avenger's Tower, the team puts Bucky in on of the containment units on the lowest level of the building. Trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists, psychiatrists, and other agents have set up shop here while the agency is under scrutiny. They let him sleep off the sedative while doctors make sure his is alright health wise.

Steve, Sam, and Natasha are watching him sleep from the other side of a reinforced glass window into the containment unit.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Steve asks Natasha. He knows she's had experience with the Red Room.

She thinks for a moment. "I think he might be able to regain at least some sense of normalcy. He was strong enough to break through some of the brainwashing on his own. He should make some sort of recovery with help."

"If I've learned anything from working at the VA office, it's that these kind of things just take time." Sam inputs.

Steve nods. "You guys are right. I just want him back."

"Mr. Rogers?" a doctor interjects "Mr. Barnes is awake and requesting to see you."

Steve looks in the window and sees Bucky sitting up in bed, waiting for him.

Natasha lightly slaps Steve on the back. "We'll catch up with you later, Cap." she says, then she and Sam walk away down the hall.

Steve looks to the doctor for direction. "Follow me." The doctor leads him to a locked steel door, which leads into Bucky's cell/hospital room."There is no sound feed from the room, but we do have visual. Right now Mr. Barnes is calm and stable, but if something goes wrong, give us a signal. We'll get you out of there."

"Okay, thank you." Steve says before he enters the stark white room.

Bucky stares at his friend and motions him to his bedside. His right arm is handcuffed to the bedrail, but both Steve and Bucky know that wouldn't stop him if slipped into Winter Soldier mode.

There is an awkward silence where all they do is stare at each other.

"So, uh, how's it going?" Bucky nervously laughs.

"It's going good, all things considered. Are you...okay now?"

"Yeah, for now."

They make small talk for a couple minutes, then Steve cuts to the chase. "The S.H.I.E.L.D. people are going to ask you everything you know about Hydra. I know there's things you aren't going to want to talk about to them. If there's anything-"

"Steve." Bucky interrupts.

"Yeah?"

"There's another one, at the Hydra base in Moscow."

"There's another what?"

"Another one of me, a dame, goes by Shadow. Her real names Katherine Slavina. I remembered it while I was hiding out under the bridge. I wrote it down, so someone would know in case I couldn't remember again." Bucky says, pulling out a crumpled slip of paper and setting it on the bedside table.

Steve was blown away. He hadn't heard of another assassin. Natasha might know, with all the contacts she has. He made a mental note to ask about this Shadow later.

"She arrived about a year after I did. They used her in more delicate missions, missions that required a bit more finesse than I could provide. We worked as a team sometimes. She didn't have quite the amount of brainwashing I had. She still needed to have social skills, to be able to seduce information out of people. That made her good in the field, but not so much in containment. I remember how much she screamed and fought during "training". The most memorable thing was the time she bit off one of our handlers fingers. She was a lot less rebellious after that punishment."

Steve let all that soak in. They'd have to find her. He couldn't live with knowing there was a woman out there going through the same thing Bucky did.


	2. Chapter 2

After a few more minutes of talking, the medical team in charge of Bucky's care steps into the room.

"If you don't mind, Mr. Rogers, we'd like to begin formulating a treatment plan for Mr. Barnes. You'll be able to see him tomorrow, but for now we'd like some privacy." the lead doctor announced. "I'm Dr. Watson. I'll be overseeing all of Mr. Barnes care. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions." he says, shaking Steve's hand.

"See you later, Buck." Steve tells him with a pat on the shoulder.

As Steve leaves the room his mind is already spinning, trying to come up with a plan to handle this newest situation. He starts with a call to a friend. "Hey, Nat" he begins "Do you mind meeting me on my floor in ten minutes?"

* * *

Natasha enter's Steve's living room from the elevator. She's still in her uniform. "So what's the news on our Russian friend?"

"Bucky? He seems okay. A little weak and weary, but stable for now."Steve pauses for minute, not sure how to broach his newest problem. "He told me something about another assassin named Shadow. She's been with Hydra about as long as Bucky has."

"You mean since the forties?"

"Seems that way. I guess they had her in cryosleep for a while like they did Buck. He said she less weaponized than he was. They used her more for spying, seducing secrets out of people, and covert assassinations."

Natasha thought for a moment. "Well, a couple years ago there was a string of politicians who resigned because of blackmail. Turned out they were all cheating on their wives. I saw the pictures and videos they were sent: the same woman was in all of them. She had long,curly black hair and spoke Russian. Describe her to Bucky. She might be your girl."

"I know I've already asked so much of you, with looking for Bucky and all, but would you help us find her? No one's better at this kind of thing then you."

"I suppose I'll help you out once more" Nat says with a little smirk. She sits on the large red couch in the middle of Steve's living room. "Pour me a glass of wine and we'll talk strategy."

Steve does exactly as she says, pour her some red wine and himself a glass of whiskey and water.

"I assume she's still in a Hydra base. The in-your-face overthrow of S.H.I.E.L.D we just went through doesn't seem like the most useful place for a woman of her talents." Nat explains while Steve takes a seat next to her and sets their drinks on his coffee table. "Hand me your laptop: we can at least do some preliminary research before we go question Bucky."

They stay up for the majority of the night looking into Hydra's other master assassin.

* * *

The next morning Natasha and Steve head down to the lower levels to visit Bucky. Before they enter the room, stops them.

"Rogers, just who I was looking to see. I thought you might like an update on Bucky's condition. My team and I agree that he will recover from this ordeal. He just needs time to adjust to living with free will again. Mentally, he is stable in a calm environment. Stress is what we believe triggers the Winter Soldier to come out. We advise that, for now, Bucky be confined to his room. In a couple of weeks, he can move up to your living quarters. After a few months, he should be stable in the outside world. At that time, the Winter Soldier would probably only be triggered by extreme stress, such as being close to death or a severe emotional blow."

"I appreciate you keeping me up to date."

"No problem. I'll stop keeping you from Mr. Barnes now." Watson says, and continues down the hall.

Steve grabs the cold metal handle and enters the room. "Mornin' Buck. I brought a friend to help us with the, uh, situation."

"Hey,Steve." Buck says with a weary smile. "What's her name?: he asks, pointing to Natasha.

"I'm Natasha Romanoff. I'm going to help you find Shadow. I compiled a file last night of the woman I believe is the one you're talking about, but we need you to confirm it."

Bucky furrow his brows. "You look very familiar. Did I know you?"

"I was at the bridge when we found you yesterday. And I was trained in the Red Room. By you, actually."

"Sorry, I don't remember much. Guess that's a side effect of brainwashing, right?" he responds with a chuckle.

"Glad you're taking this seriously." Nat says under her breath.

"Hey,that's just how Buck handles things" Steve says, defending his best friend. "That just means he's becoming more of himself."

"Okay, enough of your fluffy friendship. Let's get back to business." Natasha takes some of the pictures out of her file and holds them up for Bucky. "These are photos from a string of political blackmails. Is this the woman you're talking about?"

"Yep, that's her." Bucky suddenly looks very introspective. "I think I might have taken those pictures. I remember being sent out as a team with her, but I can't picture the specific missions. I do know that most of them were political targets."

"Okay, we're making some progress. Now that we now this is Shadow, I'm going to dig deeper. I'll give you an update later Cap." Natasha announces and walks out the door.

After she's done, Buck asks Steve "Is she always like that?"

"So straight to the point? Mission oriented?" Steve questions "Yeah, pretty much. I think this hits a little too close to home for her comfort. She was involved with the people you were, so she's just taking this all extra seriously."

"Hmm." Bucky says, then a smirk appears on his lips. "She's pretty. Have you asked her out yet?"

Steve is caught off guard. "Nat? No, I wouldn't...it's not that kind of thing, and she wouldn't want to anyways-"

"Oh." Bucky interrupts. "She just seemed like your type of girl."

"I have a type?"

"Oh yeah. You always go after the strong, do it on their own woman. I mean, I understand the appeal. Confidence is sexy and all that."

A little embarrassed, Steve changes the subject."So, tell me more about Shadow. Anything you tell us will be useful. Were you guys friends?" Bucky gives him a weird look and Steve stops. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive. It's not like Hydra was setting up play dates with you two or anything."

"No, it's fine. Our handlers didn't mind us talking too much. Like I said earlier, we had to work as a team a lot. I guess they figured it might make us work more seamlessly on missions if we knew each other well." Bucky pauses, remembering. "Our cells were across from each other at the base. A few weeks after they brought her in, she called out to me from her cell. She told me her name, where she's from, how she got here, everything. She said 'I know they're gonna try to make me forget. I just want someone to now these things for when I don't.' We got closer after that."

"So you guys were friends?" Steve asks, trying to figure out exactly their relationship. If they were very close, he might be able to use that to his advantage when they locate her and try to bring her in.

"Well, in the beginning, yeah. For the first several years after they captured us both, we were never in cryosleep. It hadn't been invented yet. They kept us in cells when we weren't being used. We talked a lot them."

"They used her a lot to get information out of people they couldn't outright torture or kill, you know , the important people. Most of the time, they had her sleep with them, or do whatever weird kink they liked. People will do a lot of things for sex, or they'll say things they aren't supposed to say in the moment. Sex makes you trust people. She'd gain their trust and they'd spill every secret they had."

"I remember there was this one guy, a high ranking Russian official who wasn't following the agenda our handlers wanted them to. They dug a little and found out he got off on watching people. So, they sent us to preform. We were a little more than friends after that. Like I said, sex gets you attached."

Steve was horrified. This woman (and his friend) were pretty much whored out.

"Of course, that all ended with the cryosleep. They wiped me clean, and took out all of her unnecessary memories. They put us under for a few years and when we were awake, we couldn't do anything. We wouldn't have remembered what we were like anyways, but whatever."

Taking a deep breath, Steve prepared himself to respond. He didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, you had to do all that."

"Don't be, it's over now. I just want to get her out."

"Don't worry we will." Steve hands a pad of paper and a pen to his friend. "Just write down all the things you know about her and we'll start making a plan to get her back."


	3. Chapter 3

Natasha caught up with Steve later that evening. "Okay, so I think I know the best way to get this done." she says, settling in on Steve's couch. "What's left of S.H.I.E.L.D. is looking to take out all of Hydra's bases. So, I'm thinking we keep our ears open and wait for them to find the base for us. I'll tell some of my contacts to keep an eye out for the scientists we know worked with on the Winter Soldier Project. Where we find them, we'll find her."

"Thanks for everything Nat. I know taking care of Bucky is not your problem. I appreciate everything you're doing."

"Don't mention it Cap. This is the most interesting thing I have to do anyways."

* * *

The next morning, Steve goes down to visit his friend. As he exits the elevator, he's stopped by Bucky's team of medics. Dr. Watson steps forward. "I don't think it would be wise visiting Bucky today. We started therapy, and tried helping him remember different things. We came across a touchy memory and he slipped into a detached state. He won't respond to stimuli nor will be eat. He'll snap out of it, just give it some time."

"Maybe seeing me will help, I've brought him back before." Steve says, making his way toward Bucky's door.

"I wouldn't advise-"

Steve shut the door before the doctor could continue.

"Buck?" Steve calls. HIs friend was sitting in the end of his bed, staring at the white brick steps closer. "Hey, how's it goin'?"

No answer. Steve keeps trying to talk to him, but nothing is going through. "Buck, come on. I know you're in there. You're safe here, you don't have to go back into that mindset."

Bucky just keeps staring straight ahead. It's like Steve isn't even talking.

"I guess I'll talk to you later." Steve utters, defeated. He walks out of the room without so much as a whisper from Bucky. The medical team was waiting outside expectantly. "Please let me know when he comes back." Steve tells them as he walks up to the elevator. He steps inside, and pushes the bush the button that takes him up to his floor.

* * *

A couple months have passed. Bucky finally recovered enough to move out of the medical ward and into Steve's apartment. He still slips into periods of complete detachment, but Steve knows how to handle it now. Besides that, he seems to be becoming more and more of his old self. He jokes around, with that sarcastic sense of humor he's always had. Still, he seems to always have a faint air of depression and sadness around him. Being a brainwashed assassin for a few decades can do that to a guy.

Steve went around and introduced him to everyone on the team. Everyone but Steve and Natasha are still a bit awkward around him. No matter what, Steve will always trust Bucky and Natasha is understanding of his situation. The rest of the team has never known him as anything but a cold-hearted killer, so it's been hard for everyone to adjust to having Bucky around. The team's been trying hard though. Yesterday Tony even offered to make some adjustments to his arm.

"So, Tony told me he was going to see what he could do to your arm today." Steve brings up.

"Yep. He's just like his dad. Always tinkering with things, trying to make them better, more intuitive. it's a little weird being around him."

"I know what you mean. Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself I'm not talking to Howard."

"I think I should probably head down to his workshop. Can you show my where it is?"

"Sure, bud." He walks over to the elevator, with Bucky trailing behind. "Since what's left of S.H.I.E.L.D. is being housed in the tower, all the Avengers floors are locked. You have to have your hand scanned to get access." Steve presses his hand against a glass panel imbedded on the wall of the elevator, above all the buttons. "Now we're free to roam wherever." he pushes the button to Tony's workshop.

"Do you think maybe I could get access?" Bucky asks. "I mean, I understand if the rest of the team doesn't want me to. I know they don't all trust me yet."

"Well, Tony's in charge of clearance, so it's up to him. But I don't think he'll have a problem, with it."

The elevator doors slide open, revealing the technological wonder that is Tony's workshop. Tony's leaning over, blowtorch in hand, making repairs to one of his suits. Led Zeppelin is blasting through the speaker system. He is completely oblivious to their arrival.

"Tony!" Steve yells, trying to get his attention. "TONY!" No response.

"Jarvis, please shut off the music for a moment." Steve asks.

Robert Plant is cut of right in the middle of "Living Loving Maid".

"Hey! Jarvis I didn't tell you to shut that off."

"No,sir, but your guests did."

"Guests?" Tony questions and turns around. "Capsicle! And your metal-armed friend! Here for me to have a look at your arm?" Tony asks Bucky.

"Yeah, if you still want to."

"Take a seat here." Tony says pointing to a chair that looks vaguely like one you'd sit at at the dentist's office. Tony gathers up all his tools and sits in a rolling office chair beside Bucky.

"If you'd hold your arm out." Bucky nods and does as he's told. "So how sensitive is it?"

"I can feel pressure but not touching sensations."

"I can make it so it feels like skin would. It looks a bit rusty in places. I'm guessing it hasn't been maintained since you left Hydra?" Bucky shakes his head no. "Yeah, didn't think so. I'll take that off and put a protective coating over it. The material seems strong, so I won't replace that. How are fine motor skills?"

"With most things it's fine, but small things can give me problems."

"Okay, I can fix that. Anything else on the to-do list for me?"

"If it's not too much trouble, could I get elevator access?" Bucky asks nervously.

"Of course. I meant to set up your ID anyways, I just haven't had a chance." Tony grabs a tablet. "Just press your right hand onto the screen."

Bucky does so and hears and faint scanning noise, like you would hear from a printer. Once it stops, Tony announces that Bucky can access all the Avengers floors.

"Okay,now onto that arm." Tomy starts examining it, then picks up one of his tools and gets to work.

"What was that playing when we walked in?" Bucky asks.

"The music? Oh, that was just the legendary rock gods known as Led Zeppelin. I see Steve hasn't share that list of music to listen to I made for him with with you."

"I haven't had much time to listen to it myself." Steve defends.

"I guess I will have to be the facilitator of you modern music education. Let's start with Jimi Hendrix. Jarvis, play "All Along the Watchtower."

Guitar chords start blasting from everywhere in the room. After a few more songs have played, Tony announces that he just has to put a sealant on and he'll be finished. As he's completing the last brushstrokes, Natasha walks through the glass doors into the workshop.

"They found the base."


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky freezes. "We have to go." He turns to the man working on his arm. "Thanks a bunch Tony." Bucky attempts to hop out of his chair, but Steve holds him down

"We're not going yet. We still need to coordinate with the agents that are being sent to clear the base."

"We're leaving tonight and we'll get her tomorrow." Natasha pipes in.

Tony looks at them all with a clueless expression.

"I need to get ready. Am I good to go?" Bucky asks Tony.

"Yeah, you should be fine."

Bucky leaps out of the chair and into the elevator with Steve and Natasha trailing behind.

After they leave, Tony sighs. "I don't even question it anymore." he observes, shaking his head.

* * *

Upstairs, Bucky is pacing in Steve's living room. He's wearing the armored Hydra uniform the team found him in.

"I talked to Maria. She's leading the raid at 17:00 tomorrow, when the guards change." Natasha explains, debriefing Steve and Bucky. "Her team is going to clear most of the base, then we'll come in and get Shadow. We fly out in an hour."

"I'll be ready." Steve says.

"Good, I'll meet you up here in 45. I have to go get ready." And with that, Natasha departs back to her floor.

"Okay Buck, I'll give you a call after we find her." Steve says retreating to his bedroom.

"What?" Bucky questions indignantly. "Do you honestly thing I would let you go without me?"

"I'm sorry, but you're not ready for a combat situation. I just got you back, I don't want this to be the thing that breaks the normalcy we're built up."

"Normalcy? You think I'm back to normal?" Bucky says, his voice rising in volume. "I'm not the Bucky you knew before, and I'm not going to be. I try to be happy and energetic, but it's not real. I can't forget being the Winter Soldier. What I am now, this is as good as its gonna get. I'm going with you."

The two just stare at each other for a while. "Fine, I know I'm not going to stop you." Steve says, admitting defeat.

"I have a plan to get her to come with us. When we go in, let me lead. I'll tell her I'm there to give her a new mission, and I'll escort her to a carrying cell. If things go wrong, we can just inject her with a tranquilizer like you did with me."

"I guess that's as good of a plan as we've got. Now would you please leave so I can change into my uniform?"

* * *

Natasha, Steve, and Bucky were currently en route to the Hydra base in Russia. THey were being flown in a small private plane. Everyone is quite, thinking about how their rescue attempt might turn out.

Eventually they land. As they exit the plane, Maria Hill is waiting for them. "We're cleared the top floors. After interrogating a couple of Hydra scientists, we found out the assassin is being held in the basement, in the east wing. We cleared the way up until that room. I wasn't sure what your plan of attack was. If you need men, let me know."

"Thanks, Maria, but I think we'll be okay on our own."

"Okay. Good luck." she says with a little salute as she walks back over to her own team of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives.

"Let's head in." Steve says, directing Natasha and Bucky.

They enter the utilitarian building. The walls are cold, grey concrete and are almost completely windowless. Everything is very familiar to Bucky. Steve can't imagine being confined here for decades, with this building and the horrible people that worked there being all that a person knew.

They walk through the sprawling maze of hallways and stairs until they reach the door Agent Hill told them to look for.

Bucky turns to Nat and Steve. "I'm going to go in by myself. I might be able to talk her into coming with me peaceful. Wait out here unless you hear a struggle. I'll yell for you if I have a problem."

"I don't know if this is the best plan Buck…"

"I can do it. I know my limits." He readies the tranquilizer in his pocket, just in case, and slips into the door. Bucky puts on the controlled, cold expression he has as the Winter Soldier. He tries to go into that mindset without becoming it.

Shadow is restrained, in the chair where Bucky used to go in preparation for cryosleep. She's strapped down and waiting for orders.

"Soldier. I was told you were on mission." she says to him. Her voice is unnerving. It's like how robots and computers talk: almost human, but with something missing. Bucky wonders if that's what he sounded like.

"I am. I have been told to escort you to a carrying cell. You will be completing this mission with me." He goes over to the chair and undos the straps binding her to the chair.

Now free, the woman stands up. "You're on lead." she says,motioning for him to show her the way.

Bucky goes to the door and peers through the window at Steve and Natasha. He smiles to himself, proud that his plan went well. He didn't even need the traq. Shadow trails behind him as he goes through the doorway.

Her eyes go wide as she sees Steve. "The mission." she whispers under her breath. She launches herself at Steve. She leaps feet first onto his chest, knocking him to the floor. "Soldier! He's your mission! What are you doing?" she screams as Natasha counter attacks. They start sparing as Bucky rushes over. He reaches the two women just as Shadow kicks Natasha's legs from underneath her and sends her falling to the floor.

"Katherine! Stop!" Bucky yells, plunging the syringe full of sedative into her shoulder.

"Katherine?" she says in a quite, confused voice as she slips away into sleep. Bucky catches her and picks her up in a fireman carry.

Steve and Natasha stand up, brushing the dirt of their pants. They both give Bucky an annoyed look

"I guess that went okay. Could've been a lot worse." Nat comments. "Let's get her on the plane.


	5. Chapter 5

The team is on the plane, heading back to New York. Their captive is handcuffed to a bed inside a cell in the back of the plane. Bucky can't stop going back to check on he's back there, Natasha and Steve use the time to talk.

"I'm worried about him, Nat. I don't think his mind is strong enough to handle this yet. He still goes through breakdowns at least once a week. He can barely interact with the rest of the Avengers, let alone people in the outside world. You know,I tried to get him to go with me for coffee last week and he wouldn't even step out the door."

"I agree. This isn't going to be I get the feeling he's just as stubborn as you are, so I think he'll be able to get through the ordeal." Natasha says with an encouraging smile.

"Thanks. I just don't want to lose him again."

"I understand. Oh, while we were in there I found Bucky and Shadow's files. I thought it could help the doctors treat them."

She hands Steve the files and he quickly stashes them out of site. He doesn't want Bucky to find them, in case he can't deal with what's inside.

They sit in comfortable silence for the rest of the flight.

* * *

Shadow is placed in the same room Bucky was housed in. The staff take more protective measures with her than they did with the Winter Soldier. She's restrained, tied down to the bed by her ankles and wrists. Her torso and head are strapped down as well. At least one of the doctors is monitoring her from inside the cell at all times.

Bucky is staring at her through the window into the room, with Steve by his side. The doctors are explaining her current conditions, and their plans for treatment, but Bucky's not listening. He's too busy wondering if this is what Steve felt like when he found him.

When Bucky finally tunes back into reality, the doctor has left and Steve is just staring at him.

"Doc said he'll let us know when she can have visitors."

* * *

**Shadow's PoV:**

I feel myself wake, but I don't open my eyes right away. Instead, I lift my lids just enough to see who is in the room and where I am. In the corner near the door is a man with a S.H.I.E.L.D. symbol on his right shoulder. I wager that if he works for S.H.I.E.L.D., he's probably got a protective side I can exploit if I play the damsel in distress angle.

I let out a small yawn and try to sit up, but I'm strapped down to the bed. I turn to the guard, putting on my most innocent and confused face. "Where am I?" I ask, making sure to give my voice and ultra-feminine inflection.

"You are in a top security S.H.I.E.L.D. facility in New York City." he responds, coldly.

"Oh. Am I being prepped for a new mission?" I ask him, feigning ignorance about the situation."

"No, you're going to be treated for the physical and psychological damage you sustained while under Hydra control. The doctors were waiting for you to wake up. They'll be here shortly."

As promised, the doctors come for me later.

The oldest of the bunch introduces himself as . He tells me that they are going to ask me some questions.

"Do you know who you are?"

"I am Shadow."

"Do you know who you were before that?"

"No."

"Your name is Katherine Slavina. You were twenty-three when you were taken by Hydra. Biologically, you are twenty-six now. You had a younger brother named Jacob and were raised by just your mother, Theresa. Your father was Ben Slavina. He left your family when you were eight and you never heard from him again.

_Katherine. _I think to myself. _That's what the Soldier called me when he took me from the facility._

The doctor continues. "You were raised in Buffalo, New York. After World War Two started, you became a nurse and went overseas. You were in Russia, when your camp was attacked. You were taken prisoner and made into one of Hydra's greatest assets."

I stare at him, remaining motionless.

He clears his throat. "Do you remember any of these things?"

"No."

I don't remember anything he's told me. It does sound vaguely familiar though. It's like remembering pieces of a movie you had seen years before. You can't remember exactly what happened, but you do have an impression of it.

"Is the Soldier here?" I ask. He is one of the only things I've got solid memories of.

"Yes, but-"

"I would like to see him." I say, cutting the doctor off.

He looks at me suspiciously. I put on the most genuine face I can muster and tell him that I think it will help me remember.

He gives me a nod and leads him colleagues out the door.

* * *

A couple hours later, the Soldier walks in the room. He's dressed in a pair of charcoal grey sweats and a black tanktop. I've never seen him so casual. Following close behind are the people that accompanied him in my abduction.

"Do you know who I am?" the Soldier asks, coming up to the bed. He undoes the strap to my head, torso, and ankles. "I don't think you really need these." He comments as he does it.

"You are the Winter Soldier."

"No, do you know who I really am?"

I sit up and scrunch up my face in concentration. I _know_ who he is, I just can't completely remember. The name is there, at the edge of my mind, but I just can't grasp it.

"I...I don't know." I finally respond.

"I'm Bucky, Bucky Barnes."

I am suddenly hit with a flash back.

_There's a girl who looks like me, in a cell across from a guy who looks like the Soldier. He looks worn out and tired, but he's smiling across the walkway to me._

"_I'm Bucky, Bucky Barnes." he says with a little wave._

_I smile back. "I'm Katherine."_

"_So, what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" he asks, trying to lighten the extremely dark mood in our prison cells._

"_Oh, you know." I begin, playing along. "Being captured in war is just one of those fun things a girl likes to do."_

"_I understand. It's a real riot." he smirks back. More seriously, he asks how I ended up here._

"_I guess they took me because I shot at them with one of the soldier's rifles when all the other nurses ran. Our camp was being attacked, and I got it in my head that I wasn't going down without a fight. It seems really dumb now, looking back._

"I remember." I tell him, tuning back into reality.

"Who are these people?" I ask Bucky, nodding my head towards his entourage.

He grabs the tall blond man by the shoulder, and shoves him over to me. The man looks hesitant, but sticks out his hand for a handshake. I do the same as Bucky introduces him.

"This is Steve Rogers. We were best buds, back in the day, and now of course. He's also Captain America."

"The mission?" I ask hesitantly

"Not anymore. We don't belong to Hydra anymore. We don't have to do those things now."

"Oh." I respond. There's so much to take in at once.

"And this is Natasha Romanoff, aka, Black Widow. She was trained in the Red Room too. But she works for S.H.I.E.l.D. nowadays.

"You look familiar." I say to the redhead.

"We sparred many times during my stint in the Red Room." she responds coldly.

I think for a minute. Remembering my time with Hydra is difficult, but not impossible like it is trying to recall my old life. "Yes, I broke your right tibia, left ankle, and right wrist the last time we fought in training."

"Yeah, and I broke your collar bone and fractured your radius."

"I remember you as a very good fighter." I say to her, then turn to Bucky. "When can I leave here?"

"You're not going to be allowed to leave anytime soon. They have to make sure you're not a threat. I had to go through the same process. They'll let you leave after a while and give you a real room somewhere in tower."

One of the doctors opens the door and signals it's time for the group to leave. Natasha and Steve head straight out, but Bucky lingers an extra few seconds.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I know what this is like, so I can help you. Just let me know how." He walks toward the door, giving me a smile and a wave before leaving.

**A/N: I decided that, since the main character is now completely in the story, I would write the majority of it in first-person. Third-person just doesn't seem to flow right for me. Also, sorry for the delay in updating. I was on vacation and couldn't bring my laptop. Thank you so much for reading and reviews would be appreciated!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you know this man?" he asks calmly.

I tell him that I do.

"Do you remember how you knew him?"

It takes me a minute, but I eventually respond. "I think I killed him." I say softly.

He nods and holds up another picture. This process continues for a couple of hours. The doctor shows me a picture and I tell him how I knew them. The answers range from 'I sabotaged them,' 'I helped blackmail them,' to 'I killed them.' Once Dr. Watson finished with his questions he looked me in the eye.

"You did very well today. If you continue this progress, in a couple of weeks you might get a place in the Tower." I look at him with a blank expression, as I'm still not entirely sure which emotions are appropriate in different situations.

"Thank you." I respond.

"We'll have another session tomorrow afternoon, focusing on adjusting back to civilian life. I'll see you then." He gets up to leave with the rest of his team following him.

After he leaves, I'm left alone. I felt more things in the last few days than I have in seventy years. All I feel now is crushing guilt. I've just been reminded of every atrocious thing I've done for Hydra over the years. I couldn't feel guilt at the time, so now it's engulfing me.

The lights flicker off, as they do every night at this time. I lay down on the bed, and stare up at the white ceiling. The darkness only serves to amplify how sorry I feel. A small tear, the first I've shed in decades, run down my face. I lay there in the dark until sleep comes to me.

* * *

A nurse wakes me up in the morning, bringing a tray bearing some kind of cereal. I sit up and nod in thanks before she scurries out of the room. Everyone in this place is afraid of me. Well, almost everyone. The doctor doesn't seem scared. I feel as though he thinks of me as a rather intriguing puzzle, not as a killing machine. Bucky is the other exception. He can relate, I suppose, which must make me less frightening. I'm not really offended by the actions of the others though. I would be scared of me too.

As I'm shoveling the slightly soggy cereal into my mouth, the door opens. Bucky walks quietly into my room. I down the rest of my breakfast, and set the empty bowl on the tray, shoving it to the end of the bed.

"Where are your friends?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "Probably still asleep. I thought I'd come here by myself today." He walks closer and sits next to me on the bed. "So, how's it going?" he asks in that voice he has that sounds like how I'd expect happy would feel. It's weird hearing him like that. I've only known him to speak in a cold monotone when he was the Winter Soldier.

"I feel like I don't exist." I respond.

A troubled expression crosses his face. "What do you mean?"

"I only know myself as Shadow. I don't know who Katherine is. I don't know what she likes, what she hates, what kind of person she is. I'm not Shadow, but I'm not Katherine either."

"I felt the same way when I first started trying to figure everything out. I understand."

"No you don't. You had a life to come back to. You can remember, and even if you don't, you have someone to help you. You said Steve was your friend before, right? He can tell you everything about yourself you need to know. I have nothing but a couple of facts HYDRA put together in my file."

"You think that having someone to tell you all about yourself makes it easier?" He asks with a strain in his voice. "It doesn't. Sometimes Steve tells me things about myself that don't seem true to me. He told me that I was one of the smartest people in my class in high school. There are times when I can't remember how to tie my own shoes. He constantly makes me spaghetti for dinner because she says it was my favorite food before. Now, it makes me sick. I eat it just to make him feel better."

I look down at the floor for a couple of seconds. "I'm sorry for thinking you had it easy."

"It's fine, just forget about it." Bucky says with a smile. "Look, we're the only ones who know what it's like, so I just think we should try to help each other out a bit. If you need someone to talk to, or to help you out in any way, I'll be there."

I smile back awkwardly at him. "Okay. Same goes for you too."


End file.
